Grab your compass and get outside, it’s time to have some fun at this camping birthday party! Pop a tent and send friends out on a wilderness scavenger hunt before returning back to home base for your cutely named bear poop and live bait desserts! No air conditioning allowed at this camping themed bash! Instead, stage your dessert table right in the backyard and let nature’s beauty shine on through.
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Camping is all about exploring nature and enjoying the outdoors, so do the same with your party setup! Forget the fancy wall setters and instead use the foliage or natural backdrop right in your backyard to stage your dessert table. This is a party setup I did over 10 years ago now but still a classic theme that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages!
When it comes to a party setup for this theme, first shop your home to dress up your dessert table. Raid your house for some rustic serve ware to add texture to your camping themed party.
Think wood platters or bowls, burlap runners, wicker baskets or lumberjack plaid blankets. Fill in the rest with a basic color palette of blue, green, brown and a pop of orange!
Break out your faux Christmas trees and prop them up on your party table for more places to showcase your camping party theme. If it looks too plain as is, hang some compasses or fishing bobbers as ornaments and an adventurer hat to top it off.
Craft a nice high banner over your dessert table to welcome the happy campers back to base camp.
Sorry folks, as I didn’t think to make this component from a printable banner approach. I made this one using a printed bag as a backdrop and large letter stickers with the basic “happy campers” phrase.
You COULD go out with a nature guide and learn about all the edible fruits, berries and flowers right in your neighborhood OR you could safely serve guests cutely themed foods based on the camping theme. First round up friends around the campfire for some hot dogs grilled on a stick and bags of chips for the main meal then get creative with the desserts!
Use food tents to showcase these custom named dessert options. I’m offering these as a FREE PRINTABLE DOWNLOAD so you can dress up your dessert table! Unwrapped yodels turn into a pile of logs and an assortment of raspberries and blue berries become a pack of wild berries found in the woods!
Pour some chocolate Whoppers candies in a bucket as bear poop and cookie capped Hershey kisses are quickly turned into twigs and acorns.
Fill some pudding cups with gummy worms and a sprinkle of crushed cookies as a cup of live bait!
When it’s time to wish a “happy birthday” serve everyone a cupcake topped with their very own ice cream cone teepee as these options for camping shelter.
To keep everyone safe away from a fire, create s’mores pops on a cute wood grain paper straw!
Pop a tent to create some shelter. Use this as home base for some outdoor activities to enjoy the beauty around you! Here are a few ideas:
- Plan a scavenger hunt in the great outdoors! Provide a bag to collect their supplies and a mini pencil to help cross off each item on the list. Grab this FREE PRINTABLE scavenger hunt and enjoy time exploring your yard
- Build and decorate bird houses to take home and help feed the wildlife in their own backyard
- Toast some marshmallows and make your own s’mores
- Grab the fishing poles and practice a little catch and release
I hope this fun camping party theme design gives you lots of inspiration to make a memorable day for your happy camper!
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